Both states for a change. Anyone else excited? I’ll be hunting Wis this opener. I dont have a major Grouse trip planned until Oct but I will hunt them at least a little bit every weekend in Sept/Oct. Pretty slim pickens by my cabin but I have made it work the last few years. I still need to travel to get to my real honey holes.
It will be green but the dumb ones will be around. Bring it on!
Probably wont get too keyed up until Oct as well. The last couple years we’ve tried to spend a few mornings pass shooting waterfowl during the early season (Sept opener thru Early Oct) and then sit in bow stands for the evening. We hunt dogless so the birds prove to be cagey enough without any leaves on the trees.
Being I’m a Minnesota southerner, I do not grouse hunt. I imagine it would be tough shooting with all the green still on the trees, am I correct? Always wanted to get into it, but waterfowl has always taken priority.
Green means nothing to someone that loves it. Otherwise there would only be a couple perfect weekends to hunt. You just hunt smarter and try to stay on the edges more.
Will not be out till Duck opener. Hunt the morning for ducks and geese. Then go make a few walks for grouse in the afternoon.
I planned on camping around the Isabella area but the weather forecast isn’t looking very good 
I planned on camping around the Isabella area but the weather forecast isn’t looking very good
I really like that area when the birds are around. Great area of the state.
Will probably wait until the leaves are off as I find too much greenery frustrating because I have no dog to give me a warning.
Being I’m a Minnesota southerner, I do not grouse hunt.
There are pockets of grouse in southern MN, or at least there were. My father in the 1970s used to take me to areas of high hardwood hills near the river south of Wabasha for grouse. Perhaps the deforestation after Dutch Elm changed things, but there certainly were huntable numbers back then.
Grouse
There were huntable numbers near Redwing when I moved here. Got quite a few there many years ago. It was great. I would make it there to hunt on a weekday after work if I left a little early.
was going to be bow hunting on Saturday but the forecast is looking pretty warm. might go for a short walk with the little guy to look for some partridge instead.
I imagine it would be tough shooting with all the green still on the trees, am I correct?
It would…unless you are a ground-swatting road-hunter. 
I spent a fair amount of time stomping around the National Forest in Bayfield County this weekend and, much to my despair, never flushed so much as a single bird – even in known “hot spots”. I figured it had to be that the mosquitos had kicked them all out because there were more than enough of those hard-biting little creatures.
Will probably wait until the leaves are off as I find too much greenery frustrating because I have no dog to give me a warning.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Merican Eagle wrote:</div>
Being I’m a Minnesota southerner, I do not grouse hunt.There are pockets of grouse in southern MN, or at least there were. My father in the 1970s used to take me to areas of high hardwood hills near the river south of Wabasha for grouse. Perhaps the deforestation after Dutch Elm changed things, but there certainly were huntable numbers back then.
Grouse
The RGS has had a symposium on the driftless area in recent years in an attempt to address the decline of grouse numbers there. Looking at Wi drumming count charts the driftless was quite good in the 70s & 80s. A common story, however, relates to land use changes since then that hasn’t bode well for grouse numbers.
My little slice of Carlton Co has a lot of County Memorial Forest that is actively managed for aspen. In combination with local WMAs there tends to be a decent amount of timber recycle to keep a mix of timber ages. We can usually find a few birds to chase.
?
It would…unless you are a ground-swatting road-hunter. 
Thank God for road hunters – especially wheeeler hunters. They pack down the trails nicely- and expose the clover. That makes for nice walking for lazy walkers like me with a dog. The birds hang near trails a lot, and I can get em. With a decent dog, I can shoot birds that the wheeler riders putt putt right past.
I have allways used 1-1/8th ounce 6’s early season when the leaves are thick.
I am excited about an area we had logged this winter. It’s likely a few years away. When I started hunting the area was old pasture. It was predominantly a stand of spruce and balsam but it was fairly young, had a lot of openings and always held some birds. Over time it became overmature. They logged a number spurs through the evergreen stand and the aspen appears to be recovering nicely. Our hope is to maintain a trail thru the stand and get some crab apples established in a few spots.
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Will probably wait until the leaves are off as I find too much greenery frustrating because I have no dog to give me a warning.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Merican Eagle wrote:</div>
Being I’m a Minnesota southerner, I do not grouse hunt.There are pockets of grouse in southern MN, or at least there were. My father in the 1970s used to take me to areas of high hardwood hills near the river south of Wabasha for grouse. Perhaps the deforestation after Dutch Elm changed things, but there certainly were huntable numbers back then.
Grouse ……that area is still holding birds
I’ve never hunted grouse, but I wouldn’t mind putting the pup on some birds. I’m not looking for anyone’s secret spots, but what are some general areas and tactics that a noob should be aware of?
Generally speaking a minimum 2 hour drive north. You know you can always PM me for info.
Anybody know if Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Area holds any gross anymore,
I haven’t hunted there since the early 80s but we used to get a few
I’ve never hunted grouse, but I wouldn’t mind putting the pup on some birds. I’m not looking for anyone’s secret spots, but what are some general areas and tactics that a noob should be aware of?
Oh Ralph, I cannot believe you haven’t. Perhaps the best hunting experience based on cost involved and simplicity (only need shotgun and an orange hat and vest). No stamp required, only small game license or Sportsmans license. And if you have a good dog, that opens up a whole new world. You gotta try!!
Suzuki suggests at least 2 hours north, I agree.
Anybody know if Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Area holds any gross anymore,
I haven’t hunted there since the early 80s but we used to get a few
Yes, it does. Been awhile for me but I’m thinking this year. Let’s go…
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I’ve never hunted grouse, but I wouldn’t mind putting the pup on some birds. I’m not looking for anyone’s secret spots, but what are some general areas and tactics that a noob should be aware of?
Check out this link on the MN DNR website:
I’ve never hunted grouse, but I wouldn’t mind putting the pup on some birds. I’m not looking for anyone’s secret spots, but what are some general areas and tactics that a noob should be aware of?
One of the single biggest things they try to do from a management perspective is to create a patchwork of mixed age forest within a smaller block (40 acres or so) and then repeat it. The birds have relatively small home ranges so the mixed ages provide year round needs. The other big thing to look for is openings and edges. Forest openings provide a lot of food sources that need more sunlight to grow (i.e. clovers, thorn apples, etc.). If you can find a forest opening that has some type of overhead cover adjacent to it (balsam stand, tag alder edge, thick young popple from logging, etc) it’s likely a good spot. Even better if it also has some mature popple in the area.
Bottom line: Mixed aged forest patches with cover edges and some type of openings in them.
Oh Ralph, I cannot believe you haven’t.
I didn’t grow up in a hunting family, and I didn’t pick up hunting until about 5 years ago. I’ve got a young dog (first hunting season), but he’s done well so far, and I am eager to get him on more wild birds.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:</div>
Oh Ralph, I cannot believe you haven’t.I didn’t grow up in a hunting family, and I didn’t pick up hunting until about 5 years ago. I’ve got a young dog (first hunting season), but he’s done well so far, and I am eager to get him on more wild birds.
Ok…sure, I did not grow up in hunting family either so that’s the beauty of grouse hunting. Other than squirrel hunting, it is about as entry level as you can get. The dog is a great bonus. Give it a try if you can. The beautiful surroundings and fall colors are almost enough in itself for me.
In high school we were pretty hard core grouse Hunters. Usually hunted the Mille Lacs area as that is where my cabin was. We put a lot of birds down but man did we put on the miles. We only hunted public land.
DT
Here’s an example of three spots I’ve hunted that have historically held birds.
Red = alder edge
Green = mature tree stand
Yellow = newly logged area (less than 10 yrs old)
blue = balsam stand.
straight yellow line = footage distance
Some type of opening in the mix allows for soft mast producing plants which provide a food source. If you can find a forest opening that has a couple thorn/crab apples trees scattered in it but also has some thick overhead cover close by the spot can be money.
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DT and Andy,
Let’s meet up in October and walk Mille Lacs WLMA, maybe if were lucky we can knock down a grouse or two with the scattergun.
DT and Andy,
Let’s meet up in October and walk Mille Lacs WLMA, maybe if were lucky we can knock down a grouse or two with the scattergun.
For sure…I would be up for that. Would be fun to have some company although instead of walking miles, it would be reduced to walking fractions of miles now at my age and being fatter. 
For me it was always a good reason for a walk in the woods at the most colorful, beautiful time of the year. Getting just a shot at a bird was sometimes the bonus. October is a perfect time to go. Perhaps if Ralph Wiggum has yet to get out on his own, he can join us…and bring his dog. 
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